If you’ve followed my blog long enough, you know how grateful I am to my parents – particularly my dad – who had a great influence on my love for documenting the everyday. Photography was one of his little hobbies. Funny enough, I really don’t even have memories of my dad behind the camera because I don’t recall him getting our attention and saying “cheese”. He just captured life.
The more vivid memories I have are of him changing out the light bulb in our basement bathroom to the red bulb because that’s how he transformed the little bathroom into a dark room. I loved being in there watching him develop pictures. He invited me to help him as we carefully placed the photo paper in the thing (that clearly I don’t even know what it’s called!) where the light shone through the negative, impressing the image onto the paper. We would then dip the photo paper in the first fluid and then the next and then we would rinse the paper before setting out the photos to dry.
What a sense of satisfaction that was – to develop photographs. I went on to learn more about the dark room with more formal training in high school and I can still smell those chemicals today. Oh, how the times have changed. I appreciate my fond memories, but I’m so grateful that digital photography is what it is today.
Even still – the art of documenting the everyday doesn’t have to be tied to what kind of camera or technology or printer you’re using. It’s about noticing the little things that make up life. And that’s what we’re all trying to do. Here are 10 photos from my own childhood that inspire me on what to document today.
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Photo Idea no. 1: Photograph where you watch television – and don’t forget to get the TV in the picture because trust me – it will look like a dinosaur one day.
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Photo Idea no. 2: Photograph their collections. Everyone collects something. Maybe your husband collects fishing gear or your sister collects shoes or your child collects key chains. Apparently I went through a phase of collecting stuffed animals. Raise your hand if you feel a little nostalgic seeing Care Bears and Cabbage Patch Dolls in there.
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Photo Idea no. 3: Photograph them concentrating. Try to capture a loved one as they focus, while they’re in the zone, as they study, whatever. This is one way to get a glimpse of someone’s personality without them smiling at the camera. My dad captured my love for drawing. Apparently using the kitchen trash can was completely acceptable for whatever ideas I had to get on paper at the time. Whatever works, right?
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Photo Idea no. 4: Photograph bedtime rituals. It might seem silly to capture something like the kids brushing their teeth, but to this day – it’s one of my favorite shots. Because it wasn’t a special occasion. It wasn’t a trip or a birthday. It was a daily ritual, an everyday routine. The essence of real life. And apparently my idea of brushing teeth was that as long as the toothbrush was in my mouth, my teeth would magically get clean. So that’s where Claire gets that from!
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Photo Idea no. 5: Photograph their quirks. We all have quirks, and not just a few. My lifetime quirk is how I compartmentalize. In this picture I’ve sorted rocks, sticks, and pine cones. Today I compartmentalize emails, work flow, laundry, and sometimes even my conversations. Our team had a meeting recently where Kari and Laurie were giggling about the fact that I couldn’t move on to the next topic until I felt like we totally had closure on what we were talking about first. Gotta keep things compartmentalized.
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Photo Idea no. 6: Photograph breakfast. Simple, I know. But one day you’ll look back – they’ll look back – and you’ll love seeing the spot where you eat and what you’re eating. I always had to have the cereal box right in front of me so I could study the back. And that little bowl next to my cereal bowl? Sugar, of course. Snap, Crackle, Pop.
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Photo Idea no. 7: Photograph them at work. Got teenagers earning a wage? I know, I know. Chances are they wouldn’t love you popping into work to snap a picture but remind them of how you wish you had this from your own youth – or how you’re grateful you do have something to show for those earliest jobs (show them pictures of you working if you have them!). My first non-babysitting job was working at the Brunswick Dairy Barn – a little ice cream shop in my town. Hi! What can I get you today?
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Photo Idea no. 8: Photograph the work of parenthood. There are so many aspects of parenting that are downright exhausting, such as having a newborn. Even when life feels overwhelming, don’t let that deter you from capturing a few slices of that life here and there. Cameras aren’t designed for just the exciting times. Cameras are designed to capture LIFE – whatever that means at the moment. One of my favorite things about this picture of me and my sweet mama, is that I have a picture like this of me with each of my babies too.
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Photo Idea no. 9: Photograph what they’re reading. These were a few of my books as a teenager. Now – I didn’t take this picture as a teenager, but I came across some these books years after leaving home and snapped this picture so that I had a record (and so I wouldn’t feel obligated to hang on to books that I really didn’t care to cart around for years).
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Photo Idea no. 10: How shall I put this? Oh, what a treasure. First of all – we ALL look thrilled, don’t we? Those are my parents, my Grandpa Johnson, my brother Steven, and … that little princess? Yep. that’s me. Pleasant as a peach. Clearly throwing a fit about something. I don’t remember the story behind the photo, but this is why I wanted to share it: We are embarking on a season where many families, as tradition would have it, are having their family pictures taken. That’s great. I love this time of year.
But if you have a cranky one (heck – it could be your husband), or a misbehaving child during the photo session … don’t stress. We’re not aiming for perfection, people. We are aiming to document life. Capture personalities and relationships and REAL LIFE. In other words – when you get outtakes like these, don’t delete them. In fact, I would be so delighted if more people sent out Christmas card photos that look like this one. ; )
Becky,
Love your post! Did you grow up in Frederick County, Maryland? I grew up in Frederick and have recently moved back after a 5 year hiatus…just can’t get enough of this area!
I have a picture with my daughter having a fit during vacation. If I knew how to add it here I would! Thanks I love this.
I LOVE this post! My grandma was a scrapbooker before her time; she has so many pictures like this. Unfortunately, she died when I was sixteen, before I had the chance to really ask her the stories behind the scrapbooks (she didn’t do much journaling). You are such an inspiration to us, to really record LIFE. Thanks!
I love number 10! My favorite wedding picture is actually the one of our entire bridal party. Us adults look great, but our 4, 3, 2 & 1 year old flower girls and ring bearers are all doing something different in the picture. The 2 year old was completely turned around starting up at my husband. It’s so funny and really captures their personalities. And I mean let’s be honest, a 4, 3, 2 and 1 year old ALL looking at the camera and smiling at the same time…we’d be dreaming.
I also love that Rice Krispies box! It’s cool to see the branding from years ago. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much Becky for this really sweet moment. I love these pictures, and I think that each of us can remind some similar moments of their childhood. Your phrase “we are not aiming to perfection” is going directly to my heart, I love it, it is as simple as you said! And oh yes! the camera is designed to capture life. It took some time for me to understand it, but today I get it (maybe because meanwhile I became a mom) and I’m totally in it!
That last photo was like a flashback! I have one from the late 70′s around a table at some holiday and everyone is smiling but I’ve got my elbow on the table, my chin in my hand and a huge pout on my face. Love it!
Oh how I love that photo! I’m crying in most of the photos of me as a baby/toddler. When I asked my mother why she didn’t take a photo of me smiling, she responded, “Because you were always crying”! I love those pics. I call them “real life”. Hahaha!
This really puts it all in perspective. It shows the importance and relevance of capturing the everyday. It doesn’t seem like it now but look at what it WILL be. Love, love, love!
Thanks for such a fantastic reminder of capturing what matters most. I love the vintage Rice Krispies box, and your brother’s Sesame Street t-shirt. I had a bit of a chuckle as I saw that half of the books from your teen collection were also read and beloved by me during my own teen years. Jack Weyland rocks!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post Becky! Thank you for giving us glimpses of what you think are important ideas to take photos of. I don’t have a ton of photos of myself growing up, but I do TREASURE the ones I do have – good or bad. I love them all. A great reminder to start snapping more of those every day life photos.
Becky,
I love these photos as it reminds me so much of the days of my boys growing up (they are a bit younger than you)…And, love the fact that you assure us that these types of photos are what life is really about: the everyday things. Now, I have grandsons who are commenting on “all the pictures Grandma takes”..the 4 yr old grandson says one day “grandma even takes pictures of food, too!”..you bet! some day they will appreciate all the pics that grandma took! I love Project Life as it lets us take a look at our daily lives and for me to focus on the blessings of each day even when we are in the midst of trials and suffering! Thank you for the inspiration to “let go” of the perfectionist tendencies and to just document “what’s real” in our lives. God’s Blessing to you!
Becky,
Love these photos! You can feel the memories that are tied up in them. I really liked the books and wish I had done that with my books before I got rid of about 90% of them. I had well over 200 that I had purchased as a teenager. I did hang on to ‘Brenda At the Prom,’ the second one from the left in your photo and my 14 year old daughter just finished reading it.
I love reading your blog, you always remind me to cherish and capture the everyday in all of its ‘realness’
You are the best!
Thank you for reminding all of us the real purpose of documenting life. That we should be documenting real life, not the life we think we need or want, but the one we have. I am inspired again to document life and not always the posed pictures. Thank you!
I loved every one of these. Makes you smile. Now if i can only find all my old photos!
Those old pictures are great. Unfortunately all of my baby pictures were lost in Katrina. I have one of me feeding the “Chi Chi,s” when I was about two. How very sad.
Love this. Thanks so much! And you were a Jack Weyland fan, too huh? Charlie just makes me bawl, even now. Great memories! Love it!
Oh my goodness I love this post! What a beautiful reminder that we don’t have to have perfect shots of our kids – that we just need to get the shots in so that we can document everything. And your pouty-ness is perfect! Love it!
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So great! Thank you for sharing. I love seeing the cereal box… things that I would think about moving if I were to take a picture.
LOVE THIS POST! Thanks for the insight!
This is priceless! I love it!
Need more posts like this. It was so helpful in many ways. Thank you .
This was such a great reminder to capture “what it is”, not just what we would like for it to be! I DID get a wonderful Christmas card last year that had a beautiful photo on the front, and a couple of wonderful “out-takes” on the back that were REAL! Loved it.
[...] “We’re not aiming for perfection, people. We are aiming to document life.” – Becky [...]
Great post Becky.
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know – to me, this is the sort of prompt, suggestion, inspiration that l get nowhere else but from you.
Love the way you’ve tied in the family history aspect, and given us ideas on how to capture our children’s lives now.
You nailed it my dear
Love the 10 photos. Especially the photo of the books. What a great idea!
Wow. your dad was really ahead of his time…its like he was doing Project life as you guys were growing up… how cool is that and how amazing to have those memories…you are truly blessed and thankyou for allowing us to have an insight aswell…
Had At least half of those books! Love that idea!
Hi Becky,
I’m a long-time reader and I’m finally commenting! This is my favorite post of yours, hands down. My parents were the same way, and as I read this post memories of my childhood came flooding in. Thank you for this!
Melia
Awesome Photos! Makes me want to go look at some of mine
Tara
Love this! My own parents took a decent amount of everyday pictures and I made a response post on my blog this morning. It was neat to go through the pictures I have and pick out more everyday ones from my childhood. I did include an alternative picture about the routine during a holiday because it was more behind the scenes than the ones most people traditionally take opening presents etc.
Can’t wait for more ideas
love, love, love the photos. Love the thought that more people should send out Christmas cards with “real” photos in them. When my boys were very young, my husband and I were trying to get a photo of the two of them LOOKING at the camera. Of course, that was a lot to ask for a 3 1/2 and 9 month old. OH the drama I made of it. How horrible if I didn’t have a perfect picture for the cards. We finally got a fantastic photo, but the funny thing is it isn’t the perfect photo that sits on my desk. It is one of the “bad” ones. Both boys are giggling and looking away. One is super close-up and the other too far away. I LOVE IT!!!! They were giggling and laughing and definately showing the spirit of the season. REAL life is way mo’ better than the staged. Thanks for continuting to remind me of that!
ALL great ideas!!! And that last one…oh man, I kinda like when I get one of those with my kids. Cracks me up every.single.time!
You know what I thought about photographing today for PL? Their doors and the stuff they have hanging on them to differentiate their bedroom door from everyone else’s. I should send you a picture when I have it ready for my book. Who would I send that to?
Love all the photos!! What precious memories and great inspiration. I love how evident your personality and gifts were from such a young age. Can totally see you stopping even now to jot down a brilliant idea or sketch on the nearest surface, starting way back on that trash can
Thanks for sharing
Firstly, love the comment about the red light-bulb. I have the same memory of working with my mom in our downstairs bathroom — watching beauty appear out of nothing on those white pages… and the smell…
Secondly, I’ve been doing PL for 10 months and am still struggling with the concept of not just documenting the fun stuff. Honestly, the root goes deeper because the “daily life” often includes a glimpse into my not-great housekeeping skills which I try to pretend are better than they are. It’s hard for me to take a picture when there are cheerios all over the floor and a bowl from dinner last night still on the table. But I need to GET OVER MYSELF and just accept that this is life now (while still trying to improve when I have the energy!). Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for sharing your photos, I love looking at old photos of me and my siblings too. They are priceless treasures for sure.
omg, YES. sitting at the table, eating cereal, reading the back of the box and POURING MORE SUGAR on top of the cereal. what were our parents thinking? =)
you are so lucky to have all these childhood pictures!
we had 7 kids in my family and NO CAMERA growing up!
I am trying to write down my childhood memories so my girls can at least read about them!
and for my girls, their childhoods are well documented in baby books, journals, scrapbooks, photo
albums and even project life! woo HOO!
tara
Congratulations for this wonderful reading article. I found it very informative and interesting too, I think you are a brilliant writer. I have bookmarked your blog and will return in the future. I want to encourage you to continue that marvelous work, have a great daytime!